


An Unexpected Development

by Rebel_Atar



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Multifandom exchange gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-15
Updated: 2013-01-15
Packaged: 2017-11-25 16:19:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/640731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebel_Atar/pseuds/Rebel_Atar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When briefing Fury on a mission gone south both Clint and Natasha have things they'd rather not mention. Friendship, budding relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unexpected Development

It began with a mission. Nothing big, nothing out of the ordinary. Not for them, not for those two.  
Clint Barton, alias Hawkeye, and Natasha Romanov, alias Black Widow, sat in the debriefing room. Clint with his arm bandaged and in a sling, attempting to report on the mission to Fury. 

“Well it started like this...”

SHIELD had received some intelligence indicating that Doom was developing some dangerous variety of new technology.

“Honestly, when is he not?” Snarked the archer, unimpressed at evils ongoing predictability.  
“Enough of your sass Barton” Fury gave him an unimpressed glance as he said it.  
Clint glanced at Natasha, she nodded.  
“Fine”

Regardless SHIELD had decided that more information was needed before they could determine how much of a threat this tech would be.  
Considering all they had currently known was 'it's dangerous' and 'it's tech' this was not particularly surprising.  
Reconnaissance was required. It needed to be quick, subtle and accurate. The team chosen would have to be experienced, extremely competent and able to handle themselves if things went south.  
There had really been no other choice than Black Widow and Hawkeye. Even if Clint Barton had the tendency to triple the paperwork involved in any one mission.

“Believe it or not Agent Barton, I am aware of the mission I assigned you on”  
“Dude, setting the scene”

It had started off simply. They had been dropped inconspicuously outside the border of Latveria and had worked their way inwards towards Doom's fortress.  
The security had been tight but it was something they dealt with on nearly every mission and in the end infiltration was not that difficult.

“We got some pretty good pics of the tech. All sorts of tech really. Pretty sure we haven't seen some of it before. Not certain if it'll match the initial intel but hey, they were pretty vague”  
That's when things had gone south.  
“See I had taken position up high on this walkway so I could cover Nat while she got up close an personal with the tech”

He had been hidden, secluded in a shadowy corner, bow drawn. Out of sight and out of firing line.  
She had the dangerous job, out there in the open. If anyone was going to be caught, if anyone were to be seen it would be her. She was in a much more exposed, vulnerable position. Things don't always work out the way you expect.  
He still didn't know where they had come from.

“Honestly boss, it's like one minute everything is going to plan and the next.” he swallowed heavily  
“The next my arm feels like its on fire and there's all this running and shouting”

Natasha had been swearing something fierce in Russian over the coms. He had fought as best he could with fists and knife but he wasn't made for close quarter fighting.  
He doesn't mention everything. The panic that set in when he realised it was his bow arm they had hit. He had dropped his bow. He never dropped his bow.  
The deep lurch in his chest when he had realised Natasha was heading straight for him, instead of getting herself out.

“And you got up there as soon as you possibly could. Is that right Agent Romanov?” Fury spoke in an enquiring drawl.  
“Yes sir. I radioed over the coms that the operation had been compromised and that we would require immediate extraction. I then climbed up onto the catwalk”.  
It had involved a complicated acrobatic manoeuvre. Clint had been impressed.

“You didn't think it would be more prudent to get out with what intel you had? To leave agent Barton for the extraction team?” Fury asked in a manner that implied he already knew the answer to this particular question.

“No sir. I did not” Natasha responded, as professional and unshakeable as always.  
She doesn't mention everything. The fear that had gripped her when she had heard the shot, had seen the dropped bow. The sharp pull in her chest as she had ran towards him unthinking.

“Eventually we got behind some cover”

Back down on the floor, an up turned table of tech and some structural pillars, but really it had hardly been anything, it hadn't stopped the doubt that they wouldn't last till extraction.

“We held position until back up arrived”

They do not mention the continued panic, nor the fear nor the sudden urgent affirmation.  
The need fuelled by the everything else including the doubt, by that sickening pang in their chests. The need to see, hear, touch. To confirm that life endures in both for however long it would last.  
They do not mention the kiss.  
Hard and heavy and grasping. Quick and dirty between the gunfire, to know deep down that they were both still alive.  
Afterwards Natasha had tentatively probed at the bullet wound, frowning at Clints sharp hiss of pain in response.  
She had called him кретин , Russian for idiot. He had smiled for she called him that anyway.  
Eventually the call had come in over the coms and they had to make a break for it.  
She had covered him, for once, guns blazing.  
It was tricky but they made it out to the agents waiting. They made it back alive. Clint had complained constantly to the medic treating his arm.

“Then we got swept off to debriefing and that where you cam in Sir” Clint grinned, trying to look charming. Fury raised an eyebrow, showing he had not been successful.  
The director of SHIELD pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.  
“I will not say that I condone the action taken upon the mission being compromised, SIT DOWN BARTON!” Clint who had stood up in protestation looked sheepish and sank back down into his chair, protestation dying on his lips.  
“As I was saying,l I cannot condone the actions taken. However, considering you both miraculously managed to escape with both your lives and the intelligence I find I cannot condemn it either.” Fury watched as the tension subtly drained out of Clints posture.  
“Now get out of my sight before I change my mind” he said tiredly.  
As they left the room Fury sighed wondering if those two would ever cease being suicidal for one another.

It ended with two spies, one injured both tired, making their way back to one of their quarters. This mission had put an unexpected strain on them both and they had a new, tentative, unexpected development in their friendship to discuss.

End

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a gift for the Christmas exchange on the multifan_gift community on livejournal. For tempered_rose


End file.
